Enough
by Piccolo Sky
Summary: If you could save the world but lose yourself, would you?


Hello everyone. I've got another quickie fanfic for you all. This one was inspired by my recent rediscovery of Zelda (Basically, I've played Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and The Windwaker all within about a month period for the first time.) Any of you who have read my previous angsty story "The Hero of Time" will notice that this fanfiction is similar. This is my comment on the hell that is Link's existence. I notice that in most of the stories that end up with fate screwing Link and Zelda over, the conflict with them having to deal with their grim destinies is always resolved by, "Oh well, I'll just deal with it."

I don't buy that.

If I was Link, I'd be fairly pissed off at my own cruddy fate. That's not to say that I might not eventually do it, and that's not to say that the right thing to do isn't to simply quit bitching and accept yourdestiny,but it definitely wouldn't be without some large measure of anger and resentment. I think that would be the normal human response, even if it would die down with time.

I don't want anyone to take this story as being "anti-God". On the contrary, I am a firm believer in God. And I believe God has the power to make everything work for good and exert power over any mortal. At least, that's what I believe a true God would be able to do.However, in Link's case, these so-called "goddesses" seem powerless to do anything to save themselves or their world. Therefore, I have no trouble having Link blaspheme them.

Enjoy.

* * *

A scabbed, calloused, beaten hand slowly quivered and raised up over the rock boulder, and then clamped down and held tightly. Slowly, it pulled back, and it dragged a body out of a deep pit right in the center of the volcano. The boy it pulled out was panting with exhaustion, struggling to breathe in the intense heat that surrounded him. Were it not for the special tunic he wore, he would have been incinerated in minutes. As it was, he was totally wiped out, and looked very battered and beaten. His clothing was torn, he was dotted with blood all over, and he was struggling to carry a very heavy load of equipment with him up through the fiery mountain. But he did pull himself up, and he did it one handed as well. Inside the crook of his other arm, he carefully cradled his prize…

At length, the boy pulled over the edge and threw himself on the ground. There, he had to rest a moment. His ashy, grimy face blew huge clouds of dust into the air as he lay against the ground and panted. His whole body was dirty, save for two things. One was a shield that was strapped across his back. It had an odd animal face on it, but one that appeared to be staring straight out at you and even watching you. Behind it was his most prized possession…the legendary sword of evil's bane…gleaming beautifully and perfect in the dim light of the volcano: the Master's Sword. He treasured this mighty weapon closely…for it was the only thing that could beat his hated foe…

_Soon, Ganon…_

_Soon, Terra…_

Now, the boy, recovered a bit, slowly smiled. It had been a hard trip, but he had done it. He looked down to the crook of his arm and saw his treasure. Gleaming there was a sacred key. It sparkled with an unearthly light, and it gently glowed over him as he looked at it. He had finally found it. The last of the keys he needed to undo Ganon's seal. And with it, he could finally finish him…and at last end the curse that the legendary Hero of Time unwittedly left on the world. Soon, all things would be made right, and Hyrule would be at peace again forever. Then he could save Terra…and the two of them could live together happily ever after… Just one more challenge…

"You got it, Link!" An old voice croaked in joy.

Link, still smiling, looked down to his back. Behind him, strapped there, was the item that had started this quest. A strange shield that he had come into possession of. Contained inside was a spirit of an old wizard named Harlo of the ancient Hyrule. He had been sealed inside long ago, and since then he had eagerly awaited the coming of a new Hero of Time to banish Ganon from the land when he escaped the former Hero of Time's seal. He waited for generations for Link to be born and come of age. And now that he had come, at last it was the time he had waited for. Since then, he had accompanied him and guided him on his quest, showing him where to go to get the legendary three pearls of the three goddesses, so that he could unlock the Master's Sword. After that, he had scoured the land inside and out for the seven keys he needed to unlock the way to Ganon's palace. During that time, he had learned much of the dark being's desires…and how he lusted for the Triforce, the sacred object that would give him ultimate power over all life. Sadly, Link had been unable to save a tomboy from his village, Terra, who had possessed the Triforce of Wisdom. As it turned out, she was from a line of princesses named Zelda, and the Triforce had been passed down to her. But the same was with Link, he came to realize. The Hero of Time once possessed the Triforce of Courage…and now he, his descendant, possessed it too. Unfortunately, Ganon possessed the Triforce of Power. He had to be defeated so that he couldn't use it to exert any more of his evil influence.

Already, there had been casualties. Ganon's wickedness had killed many, and many of Link's own friends sacrificed themselves to inherit the powers of the ancient sages, so that the hiding places of the keys could be opened. Each one made Link burn with further fury, and made him vow that he would put an end to Ganon forever. Now, the time when he could finally fulfill this hope was at hand. Just a bit longer…

Link huffed a bit, but then pushed himself up into a seated position. Grunting a bit, he next pushed up to a standing one, and put the key away in his pocket. "Yes, I've got it." He responded.

"Then you have to hurry." Harlo answered. "The princess is in danger, and she must be rescued and Ganon defeated."

Link paused a moment, sorting out his thoughts, but then nodded. "Right." He responded. However, he didn't move right away. After a moment, he snickered a bit and grinned. "…I still can't believe that Terra is a descendant of Princess Zelda."

"She _is_ Princess Zelda, Link." The shield corrected. "All women of the royal line are named Zelda."

Link still chuckled a bit. "Only princess in the world without a kingdom, I guess…" He mused to himself. But after that, he shook it off, and then turned and began to walk. He started making his way back to the rock bridge ahead of him that led to the cave exit. It was a bit dangerous…because hovering below him was a great pool of magma. But he was sure footed enough.

"Now, you still need the Light Arrows." Harlo warned. "I'm sure Princess Zelda left them for us somewhere we could find them before she was abducted."

Link hesitated a bit. He didn't like calling Terra "princess" or Zelda. Princesses were weak little creatures that needed to be pampered and guarded like frail pets. Terra was much too bold for that. He was sure that she had given Ganon a bloody nose or two on the way out. It was too bad her old clothes got switched for that restricting dress when she found out…

And he didn't want to call her Zelda either. That wasn't her name. That wasn't what her mom named her. It was Terra, not Zelda. Calling her that made her seem like a stranger… However, he shook it off. There was something more important on his mind.

"Alright." He stated aloud. "Now that we've gotten to this point, I finally want to ask you this question that's been bothering me for a while."

"Really?" The shield responded, sounding genuinely surprised. "What's that?"

"How do I destroy Ganon?"

Harlo snorted a bit of a chuckle in response. "Well, that will all depend on what form he takes this time… He's a fool for attempting to use his power against the Master's Sword only to have it thrown back at him…but you'll need the arrows too…"

"Oh…that's not what I meant." Link interrupted, his voice a little small and unsure. The shield went silent, but he could detect the new puzzlement in felt in response to that. "What I meant was…what do I have to do different?"

Harlo paused in response to that, its face on the shield twisting into puzzlement. "Pardon?"

"My ancestor only sealed Ganon away, but he didn't kill him." Link answered. "I want to know how. What do I do this time to make sure I destroy him? That he doesn't come back? Do I have to take off his head? Stab him in the heart? Cut off the hand that has the Triforce of Power? What?"

Link didn't get an answer right away. He waited patiently for it, assuming it was something special and powerful. However, when he still didn't get an answer…his face turned downcast. He turned to puzzlement, and looked behind him earnestly. The shield, however, did not respond. It continued to sit silent on his back. In the end, it did inhale its breath deeply…and it seemed very tired and old all of the sudden. Link was confused at this, but still received no reply. At last, the shield spoke.

"Link…you're going to defeat Ganon, and after you do he will be sealed away. But you aren't going to destroy him."

Link didn't answer. However, his face turned to truebewilderment. "…Excuse me?"

"You're going to seal Ganon away. Once he's sealed away, Hyrule will be safe from him again. We'll all be safe, and there will be peace again." The shield reassured.

Link blinked in response to that…and then slowly shook his head. "No, no…" He slowly answered, refusing this reassurance. "No…that's what my ancestor did wrong. He sealed Ganon away but he didn't destroy him."

"Your ancestor sealed Ganon away because that was _all_ he could do about him." Harlo calmly answered. "He couldn't destroy him either. He sealed him away instead. Now that he has escaped, it is time for you to seal him away again."

Link felt a growing unease inside his stomach. He frowned a bit, and shook his head in reply. "No…no…I can't do that. I have to finish him. If I seal him away again, he'll just break out again in another few thousand years."

"You're probably right." Harlo calmly answered, not seeming to mind that comment.

Link's face turned to surprise at that. Why was he so nonchalant about this? Until now, Link had been expecting to destroy Ganon once and for all. What was Harlo talking about? What did he mean by all this?

"Look…I'm here to destroy Ganon. That's why I have the Master's Sword, the sword of evil's bane…"

"Your ancestor had the same blade, Link. And all he could do was seal him away."

"But…I'm the Hero of Time. I have the Triforce of Courage. Surely I…"

"Link," Harlo calmly cut off. "It doesn't matter. Your ancestors had all of the same items you had, and they still couldn't do it. Sealing Ganon away is the only way to save Hyrule."

However, the boy froze at that. Not only was it something he refused to believe…but Harlo had also made a slip. He had said ancestor_s_. Not singular. In addition to that, Link refused to believe what he was hearing. What did he mean? Why couldn't he kill Ganon? Why shouldn't he be able to? He had the weapon that could hurt him. So why not kill him too? Finish him forever?

"Why can't I?" Link insisted. "Why do I have to seal him away? Why not be done with him?"

In response to this, however…he didn't hear anymore reassurances or convincing remarks. Instead…he heard only a sigh.

"Link…you don't understand. Ganon can't be killed. Thousands of years ago, when he first claimed the Triforce of Power for his own, he bonded himself to it. It is his forever. The power of the Triforce is the embodiment of Din herself. He cannot die. He can only have his incarnations stripped of power so that he is sealed away. That is why your ancestor sealed him away after he had fatally wounded him. He was helpless then. But he can't die."

The youth hesitated at that. This new revelation gripped him, and it shattered his previous ideals and made his blood run cold. What was this he was hearing? He couldn't win? This whole time, Link had been on this journey thinking at the end of it, Ganon would be destroyed. But now…he was going to live? He would continue after this? He would merely be sealed away, and risk another chance of escaping? Link couldn't tolerate that. He wouldn't. His ancestor couldn't find a way, but he would.

"…I'll stop him, forever." Link defiantly stated. "Maybe my ancestor could only seal him away instead of kill him, but I'll find another way. I'll somehow beat him before he has the chance. I'm a whole new Hero of Time, and this is a whole new generation. Surely one of my weapons can help me get an edge…"

But to all this…Harlo merely sighed again.

Link didn't like the sound of that. In fact…he was growing cross with it. He turned his head harshly behind him and called out again. "What? What now?"

"Don't you understand, Link?" The shield tiredly answered. _"There have been at least ten Heroes of Time before you."_

Now Link was truly struck by shock. He nearly dropped the key in alarm. His mouthfellopenand his eyes widened. What was that? _Ten_ heroes? But he had only known of the hero before him…he thought that was the one who banished Ganon…who first wielded the Triforce of Courage… What did he mean by "ten heroes"? Moreover…he didn't like how the voice of the shield was turning. He thought this was all taking a much darker note to it…and it began to scare him and unsettle him.

"…What do you mean?"

The shield sighed yet again and looked down. Its voice became dark and grim, but also businesslike. After a pause, it finally began to speak.

"After Hyrule came into being, the Triforce was created as a representation of the goddesses' power. The Triforce was initially placed in a sacred land that no one was to enter. It stayed there for generations as Hyrule grew and prospered. But then, one day an evil wizard named Ganondorf came and attempted to get the power. He did find it, but because his heart was unbalanced, he only received the Triforce of Power. The other parts separated and went to other bearers. The Triforce of Wisdom went to the original Princess Zelda. The Triforce of Courage went to your descendant from years past, another boy named Link.

"It was this Link that initially found the Master's Sword and became the original Hero of Time. Through many toils and sacrifices, he was able to defeat Ganondorf. But Ganondorf was no longer a mortal. Through the power of the Triforce, his life became linked to it. Because he had the Triforce of Power, he could never be killed. And so Link and Zelda sealed him away. Then they replaced the Master's Sword so that if he came out in the future, he could be beaten again. In the meantime, the Triforce of Wisdom continued to be passed on through Zelda's family, just as the Triforce of Courage continued to be passed on through Link's.

"Eventually, Ganondorf, now renaming himself Ganon, did gain enough power to escape. When he did, and he began to wage chaos on Hyrule again, he attempted to seize the other two pieces of the Triforce by killing the descendents. Zelda's relative, the new Princess Zelda, was captured just as her ancestor was, and Link's relative, the new Hero of Time, claimed the Master's Sword and defeated him, sealing him away again. A few generations later, Ganon once again escaped and attempted to get the Triforce pieces. Once again, the new Princess Zelda was captured, and once again, the new Hero of Time had to rescue her. That is the destiny of the Hero of Time; to defend the Princess Zelda and defeat Ganon.

"This has continued from time to time throughout the ages. Every time Ganon has escaped he has attempted to seize the current Princess Zelda. When he did, the current Link, Hero of Time, arose, rescued her, and defeated him. In such a way, Ganon can never win, and remains sealed away forever. You, Link, are the latest in the line of your descendants to seal Ganon away."

Link couldn't believe what he was hearing. That was it? That's what he had been fighting for? To put Ganon away under another temporary seal so that years from now he could arise again? So that his ancestor would have to fight him off again? This was his destiny?

"What are you saying? Are you saying that my line is cursed? That me and my descendants always have to rise up to beat Ganon whenever he breaks out, but we can't kill him? We can only leave him for another generation to repeat the cycle?"

"That is your destiny." Harlo calmly replied. "You are the bearer of the Triforce of Courage. As such, your destiny is to defeat Ganon, as will be your descendant and their descendants."

"But…that's ridiculous!" Link finally found himself shouting back. "Why can't the goddesses destroy him for good?"

"They are unable to because he is bound to the Triforce." Harlo answered. "Instead, in response to the pleas of the people of Hyrule, you and your line are a permanent check on his power. Your reason for life, your existence, is in order to one day seal Ganon away. The same for the rest of your descendants. Their purpose is to keep your line going until another one like you arises when Ganon escapes again.

Link couldn't believe this. This was like some sickening nightmare. "Well why do I have to do it? Why can't someone else? Why can't everyone in Hyrule get together to do it?"

"That is not how the legend must be fulfilled. The legend says that only one can rise against the dark one. He alone holds the fate of all life on his shoulders. If he succeeds, there will be peace. If he fails, all will die."

"That's a horrible responsibility to bear!" Link shot back. "It's not one that I asked for!"

"That is irrelevant." Harlo answered. "It is yours by virtue of your ancestors, and it will be your descendants' as well."

"But it's not fair!" Link shot back. "And it's not fair to Terra either! She never had a kingdom! She never wanted to be a princess! She doesn't want to be some guardian of some Triforce and just wait for someone to save her and defend her!"

"That will change soon enough." Harlo continued. "Now that she is aware of her identity as the Princess Zelda, her personality will fade and disappear. She will assume the new personality of the original Princess Zelda, which has passed into its descendants throughout the years. She will lose the tomboy and bold characteristics she has so that she can take on the more appropriate characteristics that match the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. In that way, she will go into her role of being the one to be guarded by the Hero of Time."

Now Link was truly horrified. What was this insanity? "Are you saying she's not even going to be Terra anymore?" He shot back in fury. "That she's going to become some ghost of a dead woman!" He hesitated for a moment after that…and then shot out another question.

"And what about me?"

"Your personality is already changing to accommodate that of the Hero of Time." Harlo calmly answered. "How else do you think that a small boy with no outstanding strength training, agility, or skill has been able to do so much? What full grown men cannot do with years of training? Why do you think you have charged so blindly and bravely into the mouth of danger? That you already have known just wear to hit each foe you encounter?"

"And what's going to happen to me?" Link half-demanded, but already looking faraway in his eyes.

"…You will defeat Ganon, and thereby fulfill your purpose in life." Harlo plainly answered. "Once you do, you will pass on your line, but after that you will become purposeless and aimless. In the past, your ancestors were given to wanderlust and depression after their destiny was fulfilled. They tend to die young."

Link felt his blood beginning to boil at this. His temper was growing hotter than the very volcano he was in. "…I'll have a purpose with _Terra_." He responded, making sure to accent her name. "I'll do anything for her. I can live for her. And she's the only one I would ever marry."

"The bloodlines cannot be mixed of your races." Harlo flatly responded. "That would confound the fulfillment of the legend in the future. Once this is over, your personalities will change so that you start becoming cold and distant to one another, and you will lose all interest in-"

_"Bullshit."_

That icy cold voice cut through the hot air with a biting edge. Link was now furious. His fists were tightened into balls, and his face was turning red with rage. He didn't want to hear anymore. Harlo paused for a moment at this, but then continued.

"It's not to worry about, Link. You won't even mind the change."

"Shut up." Link coldly retorted. "This is crap. My life is being rearranged to fit some preconstructed mold, and the moment I fulfill my part of the legend my body gets thrown away like garbage. I sure as hell _will_ mind the change."

"Not once your new personality has taken hold." Harlo calmly answered. "You won't even mind then."

"Well, like hell I'm going to let that happen." Link sneered in response. "Why should I bother? I can't kill Ganon. All I can do is seal him away until my descendant has to take care of him. He'll kill more people then, more people will have to be sacrificed, and more of Hyrule will be destroyed. And in the end, his life will be shattered once he's done with Ganon, and then his descendant will have to take care of him. That's unfair."

"Is it any more fair to let thousands upon thousands die now because of your selfishness?" Harlo, for the first time angry, retorted. "To reject your destiny and let Ganon have his way? To let him envelop the world in darkness? To let him win?"

_"He's already won!"_ Link angrily yelled back, shocking the shield into silence. "What else do you call what he's doing? What's it to him if I kill him? He just regains his power and tries again! My ancestors all died trying to beat him, but he's still alive! He just lets himself die when he can't win and just waits for his next chance!"

"Doesn't it make more sense that two small bloodlines should suffer throughout history than the rest of Hyrule?" Harlo countered. "That there be a few thousand years of peace at the expense of your small notions of happiness? That two should be sacrificed so that hundreds more can live?"

"That's easy to say when you're not the one who gets put on the altar!" Link answered back violently. "What if I say no? What if I rebel? What if I choose not to beat him?"

Harlo paused just long enough to calm down himself, and then spoke back plainly. "One of your ancestors did the same thing. As a result, Hyrule and almost all of its people were destroyed, until the next ancestor in your line, who was more altruistic, once again took up the mantle that was discarded by your previous generation. Ganon was sealed away again, and a new Hyrule was founded, and everything started over once more."

The thoughts of heroism and determination had faded from Link's mind. Now, he found himself trapped inside a horrible fate. This was his grand destiny…to be a part of a chain of suffering and struggling for nothing, surrounded by death and sacrifice… A "link" in the chain… To always struggle and never succeed…to doom his relatives into doing this forever…

It infuriated him.

Why was he the only one? Why did he have to do it? Why did he have to have his life destroyed by supernatural forces, regardless of whether he won or lost? Why couldn't everyone else do it? Why did they just sit back and let this happen to them, waiting for him to take care of them? Why couldn't they save themselves? And these so-called goddesses…if they were really so powerful, how come they couldn't do anything about Ganon? Why couldn't they save _themselves_? Why did they defer it in the form of a curse to a regular boy? And why did he have to suffer so much in the end of all this? Why did he have to lose himself at the end?

_It's not fair… It's not fair…_

He wouldn't stand for this. He couldn't. He wasn't going to let his generations fight some vain, never-ending battle for eternity. He wouldn't accept that this was the only way. He wouldn't participate in this cycle. He wasn't going to do that to the future. And if there was no way to end this cycle…no way that these so-called goddesses to get out except to keep this going…then he would have to end it himself.

_Enough._

Link's face had turned cold and hard as flint. He chased away all thoughts of passion and power now. He thought only of putting an end to his fate…the only way that he possibly could. He reached to his side and took up a pouch that was held there…the one that held the remaining keys. He placed the key inside this one as well…and then turned his attention to the edge of the rock where he stood.

Down below him, the fires of Death Mountain raged. No greater heat was there in the world. Nothing could be forged from greater flame than here…and nothing could survive it.

He tossed the pouch lightly in his hand once.

Harlo seemed to recognize this. "…What are you doing?" It's voice asked, suddenly in mounting surprise.

"Ending this." Link flatly answered.

Then, he tossed the pouch into the crater.

The shield bellowed instantly. The entity within it seemed to struggle to free itself, as if it could jump down after the pouch and try and save it. But Link, without any regrets, simply watched it spiral and fall down through the waves of heat that lined the volcano. He saw it fall all the way down until it touched the lava, and sent up a small splurt of magma before vanishing into the lava. Without even seeing the fate, he knew immediately that the keys were liquefied. But that was only the beginning…

Link raised a new pouch on his side next. He already knew what was in this one without even feeling it. The three sacred stones of the goddesses…the keys to getting the Master's Sword. He tossed these in his hand once as well.

"Have you lost your mind!" Harlo bellowed. "What are you doing! Those are representations of the goddesses' power!"

"They have no power." Link coldly spat in response. "I'm their only power. And now, I'm doing with it as I see fit…and putting an end to this cycle."

After pausing only a moment longer, Link threw this bag in as well. He watched it fall as well, and with some satisfaction saw it sail all the way down and strike the lava. It took a moment to vanish this time. The bag burst into flame, and slowly burned away. After it did, the three sparkling jewels hovered on the surface of the lava for a brief moment. But then…they sank into the fire as well. They were gone. The symbols of a hero's courage…the proof that one was worthy of wielding the Master's Sword…gone.

"You're crazy! You'll damn us all to Ganon's power!"

"We're already damned to his power forever. And now…someone else can find a way to deal with it. And they won't be using this useless thing…"

With that…Link's hand slowly reached up and grasped the handle of the Master's Sword.

"No! Please! I beg you!" The shield bellowed. Its insulting tone suddenly turned to a plea. "If you want to abandon this office, then do it! But don't damn any hope of ever destroying Ganon! Don't leave Hyrule in his darkness forever! That's the only thing that can destroy him!"

_"Nothing can destroy him!"_ Link yelled in response…his sudden surge of anger making him rip out the blade and letting it sparkle before him. It gleamed blue and beautiful, even in the fiery light of the cave. It was so much, that he gave pause again. But he was still filled with anger. "This is nothing but a false hope! This is a curse my family has been forced to bear for generations, and all for nothing! This sword is useless!"

With that, Link reared his arm back…and then caught himself. He looked over the blade again. He saw how beautiful it was…how perfect… It was such a great blade…that had such power and promise in it…such hope… And for a moment, he thought again about how he had looked on it so many times, hoping he would one day destroy Ganondorf with it. And for a moment…he thought again of continuing…becoming another link in the chain so long as it meant temporary victory… But then, he realized it was nothing. It was a false hope. An illusion. This sword was an illusion that had entranced his entire family…but it wouldn't him.

Crying out in a furious voice, Link threw the sword into the pit.

It seemed to take forever. It danced through the sky as it slowly fell down into the lava. And again…Link felt compelled by it. He almost wanted to jump in after it…save it from the fate he himself had sentenced it to. He felt it would never hit the bottom…and every moment that went by filled him with more urgency, for he realized it was another lost moment to change his mind. But still he watched…and at long last it struck the lava.

It didn't sink. It hit there and rested on the surface. And there, still attracting him…still tempting him…it sat and rested. The lava cooled around it as the blade easily absorbed the immediate heat, and it turned rocky and hard again. But it wouldn't last. The blade could only take so much heat, powerful as it was. At long last…it deformed…and liquefied. It slowly spread out into a sword-shaped puddle…and the edge slowly melted away. The triforce emblem lasted a few moments longer…before it too melted. The handle was all that was left, but that too soon sank into the magma.

And with that…it was over.

The legendary Master's Sword was destroyed.

A horrible cry of anguish mingled with Link's cry of agony, still echoing, from behind him. Harlo screamed hysterically, as if the most horrible thing in the world had happened. As for Link…his face changed back into stony silence and quiet. He held for a moment, watching his handiwork. But then…he simply undid the straps on his back and let Harlo fall to the ground with a clang. His eyes were open, void, and blank. He said nothing and did nothing for a moment. Then, very slowly, he turned to one side and began to walk out of the volcano. Part of him was proud of what he had done…while another part was much like that of Harlo. But regardless of what he felt…it was over. And so, he began to walk to the exit.

"…You…stupid fool…"

Link stopped at this. He didn't turn…but the anguish of Harlo had stopped long enough to send out a biting insult.

"You black sheep… You disgrace to your family… You've damned us all to hell. The world will fall into darkness, and everything will die at the hand of Ganon. There will only be misery and suffering from now on…and all because of you and your selfishness. You've sentenced everything you've ever loved or will love to death."

Link didn't answer that right away. He stood there with his head slightly bowed and was silent. In the end, however, he did say something.

"…Sorry, Harlo…but this world will have to fight its own battles from now on…and find its own way out of darkness."

With that, the ex-hero of time continued to walk away. The shield was left to mourn endlessly over what burned in the crater far below…

The last remains of a hero's legacy.

_...Enough._

* * *

Well, that's it.

Usually I hate asking for reviews (I think it's a horrible ailment among fanfic writers), but for once I'm going to, to ask for two things. First, do you think Link is selfish in this story? Do you think it would be better if he would follow the example of his ancestors? After all, don't the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one?

Second, would you like to see more? Would you like me to continue and show whether or not Link's abandonment of his post leads to the end of Hyrule? I will if people want, but if not, I think this fanfic is pretty good as a one-shot deal. Who knows? Maybe it's more interesting to present a scenario and let you the readers decide what happens next.

See ya.


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